Culture Watch: Mickey 17

Adapting the 2022 novel by Edward Ashton, Bong Joon-ho takes us into space on a darkly comedic dystopian adventure.

The year is 2054. Needing to outrun some aggressive debt collectors, Mickey (Robert Pattinson) signs up to be an "expendable" - a disposable crew member on a space mission. Mickey is selected for dangerous tasks because he can be renewed if his body dies - he can be regenerated with his memories intact, carbon copies created by a 3D printer. Mickey 17 is the 17th regeneration. But when Mickey 17 is incorrectly presumed dead, the expedition quickly start to unravel.

Bong Joon-ho has created an enormously entertaining film. Mickey is the eternal underdog, and to see him ultimately triumph - spoiler alert - makes this a very satisfying watch on every level.

The dystopian world that the film inhabits feels very familiar. There's a Squid Games kind of vibe to Mickey's plight, and the space expedition is led by a political leader (Mark Ruffalo) who feels very Trump-adjacent - even down to the red hats favoured by his supporters.

We also get some excellent creature work - the destination planet is inhabited by giant tardigrades. It's not easy to give a tardigrade personality and presence, but they play a key role in the narrative.

A key strength of this film is the outstanding cast. Pattinson is an accomplished actor, and this role showcases the accents and neuroses he uses to build distinct characters. Ruffalo is always a safe pair of hands, as is Toni Colette who is unsurprisingly excellent as the wife of the expedition's leader. We're also treated to a great performance from Naomi Ackie - she plays Nasha, the woman who loves Mickey through every regeneration.

Mickey 17 is a film that's worth adding to your watch-list.